The horehound plant is coarse, strongly aromatic, and less than 1 metre (3 feet) tall with square stems. Already a Member? Horehound is not fussy about growing conditions but prefers full sun and good drainage. At MOTHER EARTH NEWS for 50 years and counting, we are dedicated to conserving our planet's natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $17.95 for 6 issues. A very tough perennial that can grow in hot dry areas and tolerate little water. It’s a good idea to plant it in an area with plenty of room or to confine it to a pot. The leaves are deeply creased above and pale silvery beneath. List of various diseases cured by White Horehound. Each year thereafter, you can cut the plants back to four inches above the ground before they flower. Marrubiin is the main active ingredient in terms of expectorant properties and bitter effects. Canadian Subscribers - Click Here Learn about growing white horehound in the herb garden, including white horehound history and a gardening guide. Hi, thanks for stopping by. The seeds are slow to germinate and do not need to be sown deeply. White horehound is used for digestion problems including loss of appetite, indigestion, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and liver and gallbladder complaints. Seedlings are thinned to 10 inches apart and you can harvest the leaves after the plant flowers. Seedlings are thinned to 10 inches apart and you can harvest the leaves after the plant flowers. The gray green crinkly leaves offer a lot of interest to the plant and provide interesting color and contrast. As an expectorant herb, M. vulgare can be a really helpful remedy when it comes to the … In addition, it contains alkaloids, choline, essential oil (0.05 to 0.06%), flavonoids, tannins (up to 7%), mucilage, resins, minerals (particularly potassium) and vitamin C . Herbaceous perennial native to the American SW and hardy to 10 degrees F. Certified organic, 100 seeds/pkt. Like to read more content, Join the Mother Earth News Community Today. Soldier’s tea, as other cultures call it, prefer growing in sunny and dry places. I planted white horehound this year in honor of my late mother who loved the stuff made into throat drops. don't have an online Herbal Teas For Lifelong Health E-Handbook, Natural Cold Storage: Fresh Food in Winter, Keeping Crops Cool During Hot Weather: 13 Ways to Beat the Heat, Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 64% Off the Cover Price. White horehound Marrubium vulgare, a dicot, is a perennial herb that is ... Plant Distribution. Its blunt-toothed broad wrinkled leaves are woolly white below and pale green and downy above. The home gardener needs only two or three plants for personal use. Plant in a … There are limited evidence for the use of horehound to treat liver and gallbladder problems, constipation, fluid retention, bloating, gas, abdominal pain and spasms, skin damage, ulcers, and wounds. The flowers are small, whitish, and densely clustered in axillary whorls. The horehound weed is a bushy perennial plant with a defining white tip. Horehound is a hardy member of the mint family. Excellent for rock gardens and sunny spots where little else is growing. There are two kinds of Horehound known to Botanists, viz., White and Black. Indeed, many etymologists believe that the Latin name for horehound, marrubium, may be derived from the Hebrew word maror, which means "bitter juice.". The seeds are surface sown and covered with a dusting of soil to prevent the wind from taking them. It has fuzzy gray-green foliage and small white flowers. Once established horehound needs little supplemental irrigation and can actually diminish the plant’s health. The plant is the source of the flavoring for old fashioned horehound candy. White horehound (Marrubium uulgare) is thought to be one of the five plants originally prescribed for this purpose.